Marshalltown Bids Farewell to Girls’ State Swimming and Diving Championships

The Marshalltown YMCA/YWCA fulfilled its role, however, the final choice was not theirs to decide.

On Monday morning, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) declared its choice to shift the Iowa Girls High School State Swimming and Diving Championships to Iowa City, ending a 21-year stint in Marshalltown.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association relocated the Boys State Swimming Championships to the University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation and Wellness Center (CRWC) in 2017, and now, eight years later, the IGHSAU has followed suit.

The relocation of the girls’ event was made public in a press release by the IGHSAU.

“We are thrilled to have the University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation and Wellness Center accommodate the Girls State Swimming and Diving Championships,” stated IGHSAU Executive Director Erin Gerlich. “Iowa City, Coralville, and the Iowa City Sports Commission offer exceptional support for all the state events they host for us. They will turn the town pink for our swimmers and divers next November.”

When the two-day girls’ state competition occurs on November 14-15, it will conclude a streak of 21 uninterrupted seasons at the Marshalltown YMCA/YWCA. The latest agreement between the IGHSAU and the Y has concluded with last November’s state event, and the announcement made on Monday alleviated local concerns.

“Personally, this is incredibly disappointing,” remarked Dylan Does, the Tourism Director at the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce. “I’m not disheartened by the strength of our proposal, which I believed was exceptionally compelling.

“I feel our facility provides the ultimate spectator experience. We had everything in our favor: a fantastic volunteer community, outstanding Y staff, and our collaborative community effort. It honestly seems that the decision was simply driven by a desire for change after twenty years.”

Does noted that the IGHSAU communicated the decision via the Marshalltown YMCA/YWCA on Monday morning without prior notice. While Marshalltown made its proposal, the IGHSAU opted for a different path.

“We are not responsible for those choices, but we take great pride in the two decades of effort we invested,” stated Does. “We organized a premier sporting occasion that could compete with any other swimming event. We will continue to host high-level sporting competitions and are actively seeking new opportunities. Marshalltown has a rich historical legacy.”

The IGHSAU’s new contract with the University of Iowa’s CRWC will commence in the fall of 2025 and extend through the 2028 state competition.

Iowa’s natatorium, which opened in 2010, has already hosted the 2015 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships, USA Diving regionals, and the boys’ state swimming event since 2018.

“While we are excited about relocating the State Meet to Iowa City, today is bittersweet because Marshalltown has been an exceptional host for 21 years,” commented Gerlich. “We appreciate all the dedication that the Marshalltown Y staff and its numerous volunteers have contributed over the years.”